


You Want Me To Wear What?

by Armphid



Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Arguing, Bunny Girl, Camping, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fun Sized Forge, Gen, Implied Unrequited Crush, Story/Mechanics Integration, Talking Luminary, Tsundere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 01:10:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17971613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Armphid/pseuds/Armphid
Summary: After arriving at Costa Valor, the Luminary crafts a special outfit for Jade which raises questions and concerns among his companions.





	You Want Me To Wear What?

**Author's Note:**

> A light little piece that explores how the Luminary got Jade to wear that bunny girl outfit in the first place. Extremely minor spoilers.

The sky overhead was clear and alight with lights large and small, bright and dim.  The moon hung low in the sky and the light cast by the pregnant gibbous moon gave the waves of the ocean a silvery sheen as they rolled up onto the beaches of Costa Valor.  The sound of the sea could be heard even at the inland camp where the small group of heroes who had gathered around the Luminary.  They had spent the day in Costa Valor, all save Sylvando who had claimed to have business elsewhere.  The group had more or less split up to explore the town and look for information, better gear, and anything else after they had all gone together to Don Rodrigo’s villa.  The companions had re-assembled, minus the Luminary, in front of the cheaper of the town’s two inns when he had appeared and led them not into the inn but back out into the countryside to this campsite. 

 

Serena tended the dinner cooking over the fire, humming to herself.  Erik lounged as he normally did, hands folded behind his head and looking up at the starry sky.  Veronica sat near her sister, her head tilted back, listening to the sound of the nearby sea.  Sylvando had joined them outside of town but was unusually quiet; the performer sitting on one of the supply crates, staring into the fire.  Rab was moving at the edge of the fire, going through the forms of an ancient fighting style with slow and deliberate movements.  Jade sat a bit apart from the others, one long, luscious leg stretched out and the other bent with an arm resting on it; her purple eyes studying the rest of the party.  Especially the Luminary. 

 

The reincarnated hero had spoken little when they reached the campsite but that wasn’t unusual.  He talked very little, really.  But rather than sit around and listen to the others as usual or specifically listen to his grandfather tell him stories of his lost homeland as had been the case since Rab and Jade had joined them, the slender and lovely youth had gone immediately to set up the Fun-Sized Forge and begun to work on some things.  That wasn’t too unusual; he liked to make as much of their equipment as possible but he rarely did so right away and not with as much focus as he was showing now.  His sky blue eyes were intent and driven as he hammered the desired item into shape using the impossible magic of the Forge.

 

Veronica sighed out of nowhere.  From his lounging position, Erik groaned.  He knew what that meant.  “As pleasant as this all is,” the unnaturally young magician began, “I was rather looking forward to spending a night in Puerto Valor.  In that pretty blue-roofed inn, standing on the balcony, looking out at the sea under the night sky.”  She sat up straight and crosses her arms over her chest, her face adorably annoyed underneath the overlarge scarlet stocking cap she wore.  “Instead, we’re out here camping in the dirt again.”  She shook her head, the tail of the cap waggling with the motion, “I, for one, don’t see why we should have to rough it when the vacation destination of all Erdrea is right over there!”

 

Serena tilted her head, “But we can see the stars and hear the sea from here, Veronica.  If you want to look at them both, we can walk to the ridgetop after dinner.”

 

“That’s not the point,” Veronica said, her tone become more aggrieved. 

 

“Look, this isn’t a pleasure cruise,” Erik spoke up, his own voice irritated as well.  Was that little squirt ever happy with anything?  “We’re not here to fulfill your dream vacation.  This saves money and it’s the smart move.  We nearly got caught by Hendrick and his guys at Dundrasil and he’s got history with Puerto Valor.  He could show up there any time for supplies or help, and it wouldn’t it be nice for him if we were sitting ducks in the inn?”

 

Veronica huffed and then tilted her head, for a moment the resemblance between her and Serena crystal clear.  “That’s…actually a good point, surprising coming from you.”  Erik bristled and glared at her but if she noticed, she paid no attention.  “But is that really the reason why?  We don’t know that Hendrick would be on his way here.  I think there’s something else going on!”

 

Slyvando sighed then; a sound that was unfamiliar from the always energetic and upbeat jester, “Ronnie darling, why can’t we just enjoy a nice night together by the old campfire?”  Then, as if unable to help himself, he blurted, “What makes you think that anyway?” 

 

“Well!”  Veronica’s voice was pleased now and Erik groaned again.  She motioned the others closer, everyone but Jade and the Luminary doing just that.  The beautiful fighter just watched with an amused expression while the young man with the stupendous hair kept working at the Forge.  “You see, I happen to know that after we all split up, he,” she motioned her head towards the Luminary’s back, “talked with some old fogey down on the beach and then went straight for the casino.  He was in there for hours!  Then he came out, we all met up, and he brought us out here.  Isn’t that strange?”  The companions gathered about her exchanged looks.  “And when we get here, he just rushes over and starts forging, not a word to anyone!”

 

“That’s not that unusual though,” Serena said with a fond little smile.  “He’s rather taciturn, our Luminary.”

 

“But he didn’t even wait for dinner,” her twin said, pointing a finger at the Luminary’s back as he continued to work, unaware of the conversation behind him.  “And he always eats first before working.  Especially when it’s Serena’s turn to cook!”

 

“…You really have his schedule down,” Erik commented.  “And what were you doing following him in Puerto Valor, anyway?”  Rab chuckled and fingered one of the ends of his mustache, a knowing look on his aged face. 

 

The teenager trapped in a little girl’s body started and her cheeks turned scarlet.  “I-unlike _some_ people, I have a sacred trust to guard the Luminary at all times!  What if Hendrick showed up and no one was there to protect him?”

 

The blue haired youth grimaced, “But you just said that-“  


“Never mind what I just said!”  Veronica huffed again and shook her head violently, her cap seeming dangerously close to flying off her head from the force of it.  “The point is that it’s suspicious and I want to know what’s going on.  What does he want to forge so badly that it couldn’t wait one night?”

 

“There’s only one way to know,” Jade’s voice smoothly interjected.  The huddled group all looked over to see the princess of Heliodor rising to her feet, dusting off her perky peach of an ass as she did so.  “You’re making a big thing out of nothing but if you want to know, just ask.”  She strode past them towards the hard-working swordsman.  As she did so, the Fun-Sized Forge shuddered and there was a blaze of light and sound from it that the group had come to learn meant that an item was not only completed, but forged to perfection.  He pumped his fist and straightened up from the forward bent position he’d been in.  “Done then?”  The Luminary blinked and turned, looking startled to see Jade so close.  “What have you been working on so intently?” 

 

He held up a hand and then let if fall, his pretty face sheepish, “It’s, uh, well-“

 

Jade had reached him and leaned forward to looked down at his finished handiwork.  Handiworks, actually, there were three items laid out in front of him.  She blinked a few times, her expression falling from bemusement to astonishment and then quickly to annoyance.  “…Are you serious?”  She stood back up, arms crossing under her generous breasts, “Why on earth would you make that?”  She reached down and snatched up the items, turning and spinning away as he made an attempt to stop her.  “Will you look at this?”  She held them up for the others to see.  There were dramatic gasps from the twins and confused sounds from the men.

 

In her left hand dangled a pair of fishnet stockings and a hairband with a pair of bunny ears on it.  Her right hand held a snug fit, low cut, cotton tail and tuxedo tailed bunny suit, complete with a built-in corset.  Veronica’s mouth had dropped wide open for a few moments but then immediately clouded over, “Wh-what is all that?  Just what are you thinking, you-you-“

 

“Oh, Veronica” Serena said with a faintly chiding tone in her voice, “He’s just re-using some of our old equipment!  We got those stockings and headbands in Gallopolis, remember?”

 

“You’re so naïve,” her twin retorted, “Don’t you realize what it would look like wearing them with that bunny suit?”

 

“Bunny…suit?  Oh!  Like the-oh!”  Serena raised a hand to her mouth in pretty, artful shock.  After a moment, she shook her head, “We-well, it’s not that bad, Veronica.  I mean, you remember that beautiful dancer’s outfit I got in Gallopolis?”

 

“I remember,” Erik said under his breath. 

 

Serena seemed not to have heard him, “It’s no worse that than.  And I rather enjoyed wearing that outfit!  It was quite liberating.  I’d be delighted to wear something so whimsical as this!”

 

Veronica snorted, “What makes you think it’s for you?”

 

“Well, it’s too big for you, after all,” Serena said, her voice a bit nettled.  Sylvando coughed and looked away.  The healer looked at him sharply and noticed that Erik was also looking at some point of interest that appeared to be somewhere near the distant horizon.  Rab simply shook his head and walked back towards the fire, chuckling.  “…Well, it is!”

 

“It’s too big for you too, Serena,” Veronica insisted.

 

“What?”  Her large blue eyes looked at the garment again, “I don’t see what you mean…”  Then she blinked and looked down at her chest, then at the bunny suit, and flushed.  “Oh.”

 

“Well!”  Veronica jumped up on the supply crate Sylvando was on, the dark-haired performer hopping up and out of the way.  She put her hands on her hips and leaned back, eyebrows beetled, blue eyes blazing.  “We could have been in comfort all this time, except for you wanting in indulge in some-“

 

“Veronica,” Jade held up a hand at the tiny mage.  The red clad girl seemed stunned that anyone would dare interrupt her as she was spooling up for a good dressing down and actually fell silent.  Her eyes met those of the Luminary, “Is that meant for me to wear?”  The younger man’s cheeks started to turn red and he seemed to be about to speak and then looked away.  The warrior princess’ eyes narrowed.  “I see.”  She stalked over and grabbed him by the arm, “We need to talk about this.  Alone.”

 

As she pulled him away, they heard Veronica’s voice rise, “How about that?  I was trying to help her!”

 

“You were looking for a fight,” Erik said in a tired tone, “So he made some new clothes for Jade, so what?”

 

“Maybe _you_ don’t mind looking like a…a male prostitute-“

 

There was a gasp and a scandalized, “Veronica!”

 

The pint sized magician continued without a pause, “But I’m sure the princess-“

 

“Oh, she’d look amazing!”  Sylvando sounded like himself for the first time since they’d landed at Costa Valor.  “Fighting in such style and beauty!  It could use some feathers and sparklies, maybe, but what an outfit to perform in!”

 

“This isn’t about a putting on a show,” Veronica retorted, her voice having lost some of its fire and sounding more confused.  “It’s about a woman’s dignity!”

 

“Ronnie, darling, _everything_ is a show!”

 

Jade had dragged the quiet hero off from the others and around the slope of the nearby mountains that the campsite was at the foot of.  She released her hold on his arm and rounded on him.  “I’d like an explanation.  Since Veronica wouldn’t let you get a word in, I thought this would be the only way.  Not that I’m not a little confused and irritated myself.  What’s behind this and…why hadn’t you told me about it?”

 

The Luminary shook his head, “I was going to,” he said in a soft voice.  “But then you pulled it up and showed everyone, and-“  he gestured back towards the camp.  “On the beach at Costa Valor, I spoke to an old man.  He knows he’s going to pass on soon and he…well, he talked about how much he loved…bunny girls.”  The teenage hero blushed but went on.  “And wanted to see one again before he died.  He said he could reward me if I could bring a gorgeous bunny girl to him and told me what made up the outfit.”  His eyes were more certain now, though he still would not quite meet her eyes.

 

Jade crossed her arms under her ample breasts, hips cocked to one side.  “So…you want me to dress like a bunny girl for a random old pervert?”  She raised a curved eyebrow, “You surely must know…well, I suppose not. You’ve only just been reunited with Rab.  But I’ve plenty of reason not to encourage dirty old men.  Why not have Serena do it?”  She shook her head, “She seems game, though she likely doesn’t really understand what’s going on.”  The girl was sweet but shockingly innocent to Jade’s way of thinking.  Especially given her sister. 

 

The Luminary’s blush deepened and he started to speak but then looked away and muttered something. 

 

She gave him a frank look.  “What was that?  Don’t think I’m going to ignore whatever you just said.  You talk so little as it is.”  Jade sighed, “I think I see.  It’s because you know I can deal with this old man if he gets grabby, is it?  That is true.”

 

“No,” he shook his head, still not quite looking at her.  “It wasn’t that…Serena’s more capable than you think.  Before we met you, she used a spear and was a lot stronger than she looks.” 

 

“She’d have to be, no offense to the girl,” Jade said with a shrug.  “If not that, then why?”

 

He fidgeted a moment and then sighed.  The Luminary looked up at her and Jade found herself aware of just how pretty a boy he was.  And so young, though really not that much younger than her.  “I do want to help the old man.  But I also want to do this, and-and made it because…”  The swordsman swallowed and seemed to brace himself.  “Because I…I want to see _you_ wearing it.”

 

Jade blinked.  “You…want to…I-I see.”  She should be rather outraged by that, shouldn’t she?  But instead she felt…a bit confused and a rather pleasant warmth in her chest.  What was this?  The elegant martial artist tilted her head back in thought.  Did she…like the idea of him wanting to see her that way?  That was that feeling, wasn’t it?  She was used to feeling irritation at men appreciating her in that manner but not this time.  No, she found she rather…liked it.  Jade looked down at the garments still in her hands and smiled.  “Well, there’s only one thing to do then.”  He looked at her questioningly, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.  “Go on back to the others.  I’ll be along in a few minutes.”

 

He hesitated a moment and then nodded.  The Luminary felt somewhat ashamed as he trudged away from the luminous beauty.  What had he been thinking?  That was such a weird thing to want.  But it wasn’t as if he would dress her or anything.  He was going to talk to her and ask her about it.  She must think just the worst things about him now.  He sighed heavily, as only a teenager could, and left her there in the dark, making his way back to the campfire. 

 

He was almost there when he noticed that the conversation, argument really, had died.  As the prince of Dundrasil approached, everyone was much as they had been before Veronica’s declaration.  Erik was lounging, hands behind his head, staring up at the sky.  But was there a smirk on his lips?  Sylvando was once again lost in thought but his dour expression now had a wistful air.  Rab was sitting by the fire now and alone out of all the companions, he was visibly pleased, a smile on his face and fingers again fingering the end of his mustache.  Serena was idly plucking at her harp, looking at the fire, looking lost in thought.  Veronica was again looking skyward but her arms were crossed over her chest and she looked displeased but not really angry.  While the others all glanced his way at his return, she started to and then pointedly fixed her gaze upward.  He took a few steps closer to the fire, stopping next to where Erik was lounging.  He looked down at the young man who was his closest ally and friend among the group.  “Did…something happen?”

 

Erik glanced up at him and his smirk grew.  “Let’s just say that some things were said.”

 

The Luminary frowned and then his eyes widened, “You didn’t…listen in?”

 

“What?  No,” Erik said, waving a hand.  “Never.”  Of course, they had!  Did he really think they wouldn’t after that?

 

“No!”  Serena sat up, her cheeks red, “It was-Erik!  Yes.  He was just…very…very rude!”  The delicate blonde nodded emphatically.  “And it was so shocking that we all just stopped talking!”

 

The Luminary glanced at Veronica.  If Erik had said something that rude, he would expect the nearby area to be on fire rather than just the campfire.  He opened his mouth to speak again when Rab’s voice interrupted, “Leave it be, laddie.  When feelings flare like this, best nae t’ poke the bear.”  His grandfather caught his eye and nodded, the youth returning the motion.  The young man then just sat down near Erik, feeling generally unsure and guilty.  He’d really ruined the night for everyone, hadn’t he?

 

There was a soft sound behind him and a chiding tsk.  “You really shouldn’t let me sneak up on you like that,” Jade said.  The group turned to look at her and there was a collective gasp.  The dark-haired woman smiled at the reaction, “So, how do I look?”  A pair of high heeled shoes were on her feet, making her seem even taller, and her legs were clad in a pair of fishnet stockings that hugged them like a second skin, enhancing the shape and displaying the toned, tanned perfection of her legs.  They continued up and underneath the bikini style bottom of the bunny suit proper.  It was black and sleek, a built-in corset and boning showcasing her slender figure while providing protection and helpfully lifting her ample chest; the low cut displaying a heartbreaking swath of cleavage.  The hairband with the bunny ears was atop her head, one bent forward at the hallway point.  While she had asked her question of the group, her eyes were only on the Luminary.

 

He was frozen in place as he looked at her, save for his face.  His beautiful blue eyes were wide and moved over her in awe.  His face flushed and then went pale, then turned redder than before, then paled again before the deepest, reddest blush she’d ever seen turned his face crimson.  His expression shifted from stunned awe into a helpless, almost dazed look.  Jade smiled at him, quite pleased at her devastating effect.

 

“Oh!”  Sylvando leaped up, his sour mood forgotten entirely for the moment, “Jade, honey, you are magnificent!  A picture of style!  So sexy, sassy, and deadly!  Ohhh!”  He clasped his hands together, “I love it!”

 

“It really is striking” Serena agreed.  Her own cheeks were warm and she wasn’t sure why.  “My goodness!”  She turned to look at their thief, “What do you think, Erik?”  He didn’t answer; the blue haired man simply eyeing Jade from where he was lounging, his lips pursed.  “…Erik?”

 

“Huh?”  He had clearly not truly heard her, still not looking away from Jade.  “What?”

 

Rab chuckled, “Ye cut a fine figure, lassie.”  The old man shook his head, “Bein’ that I raised ye, I feel compelled to order ye not to wear such a thing!”  She sniffed dismissively but smiled at the old man.  His expression was proud, amused, and knowing.  “But ye’re a grown woman, so ye’ve my blessing.”  Her eyes widened slightly at that but then she inclined her head.

 

Veronica’s mouth had moved a few times as if to speak before she turned away, again crossing her arms tightly across her chest, “Very becoming, yes,” she said in a snippy tone.  “Now that that’s over with, Serena, how about dinner?”

 

“Oh!  Yes, I’ll get started right away!”  The blonde girl set her harp down and began to pull out ingredients that she’d prepared earlier.  “It won’t take but a half hour, I should think.”

 

Veronica looked over at her sister as Sylvando fawned over Jade, the Luminary and Erik still more or less stunned.  “Serena…I’ve been thinking…once we get these Orbs and go to Yggdrasil, I think we should work on making me my proper age again.”

 

The harpist nodded, “I think that’s a fine idea.”  She then looked over at Veronica, “But, Veronica, you’ve actually seemed almost pleased with being a child again up until now.”

 

“Well, it has been a pain a few times, remember?  They won’t let me in to anything interesting!”  The little mage frowned and shook her head, “Besides, you can’t win a contest if you’re not able to even enter it in the first place.”

 

Serena blinked, “What?”

 

Veronica shook her head, “Never mind.”


End file.
